My new uphill skills YouTube video...whattaya think?

I just finished part 2 of my 2-part "how to ski" series. In this video
I try to show some skills needed to get grip and glide on the
uphills.

I have some glitches... : )

But see what you think...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fji_Rx5eFVQ

I try to tie together the various drills that I show in both vids, but
I don't think I do that well enough. I should say somewhere that after
you do a few drills you'll find that the good complete style comes
easy---that the drills form an intuitive basis. But maybe they don't.
I should have perhaps showed a bit more "final form."

It's hard doing ad-lib one-take solo moviemaking! : )

Hopefully I touch on a few key items anyway. (Without getting too
sidetracked in misc tips...which I think I might, a bit.)

PS: Dang, I got my first "spoilsport" ratfink type of lowball
rating...which had no criticism along with it, just a bad rating. Oh
well, that's pub-net for ya.

--JP
oyb

Jeff,
I applaud your bravery and willingness to show the world how to
x-c ski. It looks like you did this with a single spot camera/mike and
all alone. Quite a feat.

One thing I really liked about Dan Clausen's 1988 instructional video
is that he was giving a lesson to a real student. That, along with good
camera angles and close miking, helped make the progressions he was
teaching clear. I think that at least the idea of step-by-step
progressions and closer miking, even if you have to work alone and
make more short segments, would make the skills you are presenting
clearer. That also becomes an audience problem. Your intention is to
show the basics, while compressing each skill (or technique) for
time tends to leave the intended audience behind. Another problem this
kind of video has to figure its way through is most apparent in the
second epidsode, where the track is narrow, the terrain not the best
for some of your technique instruction (e.g., d-p), and some of your
demonstrations (e.g., snowplow) are so distant that it's hard to see
clearly what you intend. It would work better with a bit wider area,
where you can show what to do close up, as well as from the side. Keep
at it,

Gene

jeff potter wrote:

I just finished part 2 of my 2-part "how to ski" series. In this video
I try to show some skills needed to get grip and glide on the
uphills.

I have some glitches... : )

But see what you think...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fji_Rx5eFVQ

I try to tie together the various drills that I show in both vids, but
I don't think I do that well enough. I should say somewhere that after
you do a few drills you'll find that the good complete style comes
easy---that the drills form an intuitive basis. But maybe they don't.
I should have perhaps showed a bit more "final form."

It's hard doing ad-lib one-take solo moviemaking! : )

Hopefully I touch on a few key items anyway. (Without getting too
sidetracked in misc tips...which I think I might, a bit.)

PS: Dang, I got my first "spoilsport" ratfink type of lowball
rating...which had no criticism along with it, just a bad rating. Oh
well, that's pub-net for ya.

--JP
oyb

On Feb 13, 10:32*pm, wrote:
Jeff,
* I applaud your bravery and willingness to show the world how to
x-c ski.

Yeah, some nerve! : ) I had searched among the other YT vids and
didn't see anything better than what I thought I could do quickly.
There's one mini-vid about skiing without poles that seemed the best.
I suppose I should've dug deeper but I just thought something was
lacking in what I saw that I could in fact cover briefly.

It looks like you did this with a single spot camera/mike and
all alone. Quite a feat. *

Ha. Yep. Thanks.

* One thing I really liked about Dan Clausen's 1988 instructional video
is that he was giving a lesson to a real student. That, along with good
camera angles and close miking, helped make the progressions he was
teaching clear. I think that at least the idea of step-by-step
progressions and closer miking, even if you have to work alone and
make more short segments, would make the skills you are presenting
clearer.

I tried to cover what I thought were the simple basics, but, yes, I
sense some obvious lacking in the result, too. I don't really tie the
notion of drills in with complete skiing. I do think that if someone
does a few drills then follows a good skier (and then is followed by a
good skier) that should really be helpful. But I should SAY so in the
vid. And I should also push for a lesson. It's all kinda moot without
a lesson. But your stepwise notion is good, too. Then there's the
miking and the camera angles...

That also becomes an audience problem. Your intention is to
show the basics, while compressing each skill (or technique) for
time tends to leave the intended audience behind. Another problem this
kind of video has to figure its way through is most apparent in the
second epidsode, where the track is narrow, the terrain not the best
for some of your technique instruction (e.g., d-p), and some of your
demonstrations (e.g., snowplow) are so distant that it's hard to see
clearly what you intend.

I didn't mind downplaying some of the misc skills as I wanted to try
to just get someone over the initial main humps. Slipping on uphills
rather than floating up them is a major area of potential for that "ah-
ha!" experience with the newbie. But it's a tough one to teach and I
doubt that I nailed it. The "lion pouncing" visualization is worth
mentioning. As is a swinging the leg forward near the ground---keeping
things smooth to conserve energy and avoid disturbing grip.

*It would work better with a bit wider area,
where you can show what to do close up, as well as from the side. *Keep
at it,

I'll try! ...Got no time, really, though. Maybe I can do a couple more
quickies sometime. Maybe my pro cameraman bro can come out and really
help sometime. (But he's busy and that's why they get paid.)

See any other YT's that really stand out?

--JP

PS: Of course, the limitations of my videos were largely self-imposed.
I wanted to show the quickest ways to help an awkward beginning skier
over the most common hurdles in a short video made by myself in a
little time.

I suppose I should have made my mission clearer. That is, I should've
spelled it out something like this: "Are you a skier who is struggling
with breaking thru to the fun side of XC? Or, maybe you're an
intermediate skier who might not be knowing what you're missing---
yeah, that's tough to tell, but maybe just watch and see! In either
case, here are a few tips that should put you on your way. Try em out
then go ski with someone you know is good. ...But you really should
get that lesson!"

I'm mainly trying to isolate several quick key points to getting
beginners over the hurdle. I don't really want to get into telling
people how to put on a ski pole strap. Even my handling tips are
basically stupid---I should just edit them out. Being able to do step-
turns or snowplow isn't making or breaking the sport for people who
could be thriving in it.

For instance my own bro is very athletic and a longtime skier---has
even done some racing---but he still can't hardly climb---he misses
his kick---he struggles and muscles his way up. It's because...why?
You guys know the answer! ---He's sitting back in the toilet seat. The
3 drills I emphasize would probably put him over the hump and lead to
a break-thru.

Maybe I'll do a 3rd vid that corrects some of the improv glitches of
my first 2.

PPS: Ah-ha...I just revised my Memo text alongside my YT vids to
reflect my actual purpose of the vids better. Not that that really
helps, but... JP

On Feb 14, 10:39*pm, jeff potter wrote:
PPS: Ah-ha...I just revised my Memo text alongside my YT vids to
reflect my actual purpose of the vids better. Not that that really
helps, but... JP

PPPS: I also changed their TITLES. Maybe that'll help a tiny bit...